PUEBLO — Sen. Michael Bennet and Republican Ken Buck traded much quicker jabs and landed much harder punches in their debate here tonight , going straight at each other over health care reform, Social Security and new energy jobs.

Bennet said he would not vote to repeal health care reform, though he said he wants to improve it. He said the public would not want to give up basic new rights such as stopping health care companies from denying insurance to those with pre-existing medical conditions, or the new ability to include adult children on family policies.

“I would repeal the health care bill,” Buck responded in a debate at Pueblo’s Centennial High School. He cited two main reasons, including the buying off of votes from senators in Nebraska and Louisiana by promising higher Medicaid payments, and the lack of transparency in the huge bill.

“The American people do not have faith this health care bill was passed on its merits,” said Buck, who accused Bennet and Democrats of “nationalizing” health care.

Bennet’s researchers after the debate unearthed a quote from a Longmont newspaper, where Buck had said it would be “irresponsible” to seek wholesale repeal of the health care reform bill passed in March. Buck’s campaign said afterward that their candidate favors repeal and then replacement with a more market-oriented set of reforms.

Bennet attacked Buck during the debate for multiple changes in positions since his primary contest against Jane Norton. Bennet pointed to Buck changing his statements on Social Security privatization, a new national sales tax and other issues.

“You may have changed your mind, and that’s OK,” Bennet taunted. “But don’t pretend you’ve said one thing in one place and say something else someplace else. It’s important that we say the same things in red parts of the state and blue parts of the state, in primary elections and general elections.”

Buck thundered back that Bennet’s TV ads distort his Social Security proposal, and added that he’s had the courage to put entitlement reform plans on the table rather than waiting for a commission to file a report after the election.

“It’s an absolute lie you have put in the commercials,” Buck said, saying the full context of his words shows he wants to ensure the program’s future. “You have scared so many seniors, and it’s absolutely despicable.”

“You’re right seniors are scared, it’s because of what you said,” Bennet said in rebuttal. He read multiple quotes where he said Buck was advocating privatization.

A Pueblo Chieftain moderator spent time on Southern Colorado issues, asking the candidates about Arkansas Valley water and the Army’s proposal to acquire more training ground in the Pinon Canon area. Both Buck and Bennet said the Army “hasn’t made the case” for expansion, reflecting the opposition of local ranchers and landowners.

After Bennet said he was proud to help the Congressional delegation and local leaders secure clean water and protect Arkansas River rights, Buck tried to force Bennet’s opinion on a controversial Northern Colorado reservoir project. Buck supports the plan, Bennet has not taken a position.

“He took credit where he wanted to,” Buck said, “But then when he wants to duck an issue like (northern Colorado), he says the federal government doesn’t have any role.”

Asked about creating new jobs, Buck said Congress needs to give small businesses “certainty” by repealing health care regulations and avoiding new energy rules aimed at global warming science that is “not settled.”

Bennet said the future for Colorado is in clean energy jobs. “I support a renewable energy standard, and my opponent does not,” he said.

Michael Booth was a health care & health policy writer at The Denver Post before departing in 2013. He started his journalism career as an assistant foreign editor at The Washington Post before moving with family to Denver and taking a brief stint with the Denver Business Journal. During a 25-year career at The Post, he covered city and state politics, droughts, entertainment and wrote Sunday takeouts, and was part of two Pulitzer Prize-winning teams for breaking news coverage.

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